The ancient roots of the Ockoombe family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Ockoombe comes from when the family lived in Yorkshire. The surname Ockoombe is associated with the parish of Acomb, which was located on the outskirts of the city of York.

Ockoombe Early Origins

The surname Ockoombe was first found in Yorkshire, at Acomb which is now a suburb within the City of York Unitary Authority. The place name is most likely derived from the Old English acum, which meant "at the oak trees." The village dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Achum, Acum and Acun, and was land held by the Archbishop of York. The village was designated as a manor held by St. Peter. There was land enough for 8 ploughs and there were 14 rent-paying tenants. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) By 1222, the village was listed as Akum. [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) East and West Acomb, Northumberland have traditionally been quite a bit smaller than the Yorkshire village with West Acomb being the larger of the two. In both of these latter cases, the first record of the place name was with the Akum spelling in 1268. Hadrian's Wall runs about 1 mile (1.5 km), north east of Acomb, Northumberland.

Ockoombe Spelling Variations

Ockoombe Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Ockoombe has appeared include Acombe, Acomb, Acome, Acom, Acum, Akum, A Combe and others.

Ockoombe Early History

Ockoombe Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ockoombe research. Another 301 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1210, 1325, 1379, 1525, 1574, 1670, 1692 and 1767 are included under the topic Early Ockoombe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ockoombe Early Notables (pre 1700)

Ockoombe Early Notables (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Ockoombe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Ockoombe arrived in North America very early: Robert Acom who settled in Virginia in 1642; and Thomas Acome who settled in Virginia in 1642.

Other References

Shirley, Evelyn Philip. Noble and Gentle Men of England Or Notes Touching The Arms and Descendants of the Ancient Knightley and Gentle Houses of England Arranged in their Respective Counties 3rd Edition. Westminster: John Bowyer Nichols and Sons, 1866. Print.

Shaw, William A. Knights of England A Complete Record from the Earliest Time to the Present Day of the Knights of all the Orders of Chivalry in England, Scotland, Ireland and Knights Bachelors 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print. (ISBN 080630443X).

Bede, The Venerable. Historia Ecclesiatica Gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History Of the English People). Available through Internet Medieval Sourcebook the Fordham University Centre for Medieval Studies. Print.

The Ockoombe Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Ockoombe Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.